Hunting and pointing, first steps

Pontus is now hunting, but he is not sure why. His instincts and his breeding makes him search nicely, but he is clearly not sure what to look for. However, Watching him hunt is reassuring as I can see the beginnings of a nice pattern on the wind, obedience to the whistle and a really nice report with me. It is all natural for him, but roe deer foot scent is catching his imagination more than birds sitting in the grass.

Pontus is now allowed to hunt with me, but no shooting.

At six months old he still looks dis-jointed, but happy.

He is using his nose to get the scent and clearly stops when there is something interesting. He does not point yet. His mother, Gaia, also took a while before she started to point.

He just catches the scent running along the pond.

The scent makes him want to investigate further.

And the nose goes in to the grass. There was nothing there…

As Pontus has no idea what he is looking for, I want him to understand that it is birds, not roe deer and I use an older dog for that. Here, after a little bit of hunting, Gollum is on point on a woodcock and I have led Pontus up beside him so he can get the scent and be “inspired” by Gollum’s point. Funny how that paw goes up while he is still puzzling over what they are looking at.

Pontus lining up beside Gollum as he is on point. Paw up, but no idea.

Out training puppy with an older dog also gives the opportunity for some “sit-stay” training. It’s good to do all the exercises repeatedly in different places.

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Pontus is now five and a half months old and I have practiced the controlled retrieve, so he is solid in his delivery and completely certain of what to do with a dummy: deliver nicely in exchange of a treat.
We have m..

In February there were still loads of woodcock about and I took Gollum and Pontus, my two wirehaired pointers, out to find some. I made three little films of Gollum on point with the subsequent flush. Pontus, the apprent..